Page 123 of Ruthless Reign

In a swift move, Roman slashes the steel blade across Anatoly’s cheek. Blood gushes from the wound—it’s so gruesome that I avert my eyes.

“I’m going to make you pay for each and every time you hurt Liza. Each and every time you put your hands on her when she didn’t want it. She’s too good for you. Always has been.”

Anatoly thrashes his head side to side, blood seeping into the ground beneath him.

Roman grabs his chin and gets low to snarl in his ear, “I hope you go to the gates of hell knowing that Liza is going to wear my ring and carry my baby in her belly. While you’re taking it up the ass by the devil himself, I’ll be buried inside of her every night.”

When Roman's eyes lock with mine, the raw emotion in them nearly breaks me. My heart leaps in my chest. After believing the worst, hearing him say that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me is more than I could ever hope for.

“It’s probably best if you close your eyes for this part,” Roman advises.

I bury my head in my knees, flinching at the sound of Anatoly’s raw, primal screams. Whatever Roman is doing, it’s fierce and utterly vicious, but no one deserves it more than my former fiancé. If I could stomach it, I’d deliver the last blow.

After a while, everything goes quiet, and Roman touches my back. “Liza,” he murmurs. “It’s over. Look at me. I need to know you’re alright.”

I lift my head, taking a deep breath. "I'm okay," I nod, tears spilling from my eyes. “I'm okay because of you.”

Roman swoops down and picks me up to cradle me into his solid chest. It’s the absolute best feeling in the world, even if he’s covered in Anatoly’s blood. I might be hurt and we might be standing on a steep, rocky hill with the dead, mangled body of my former fiancé just a few feet away, but being held in Roman’s arms like this is literally the best feeling in the world.

I run my hand over his face, marveling that he’s real. That this is Roman in the flesh. “I thought I’d never see you again. I believed you were gone. Forever. It felt like my soul was being torn apart.”

His warm eyes search mine as he sweeps his thumb over my cheek to brush away my tears. “I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you like that.” He kisses me then presses his forehead against mine. “Anatoly had to believe I was dead, that I wouldn't be a threat.”

He wraps his arms around me so tightly that I can barely breathe. Roman looks torn up.

I hold his face and guide it to mine. “You did what was necessary, and I'll never hold it against you. You came for me. That's all that matters.” I pull away and stare hopefully into his eyes. “Did you really mean what you said about us being together?"

“Believe it, milaya. From now on, it's you and me against the world. I love you, so damn much, and I regretted not being able to say that to your face every day that we were apart. But it's true, and all I care about is making you mine.”

My chest is a tangle of emotions. After everything we've been through, this moment is fucking everything.

“I love you too, Roman.” It’s the absolute truth. I feel it in my body, in my bones, and down to my very marrow. “More than I ever thought possible. More than I can put into words.”

His mouth claims mine desperately. He kisses me like he’s been starved for my touch. I kiss him back just as fiercely.

“Say it again,” he demands. “Once isn’t enough.”

“I love you, Roman Vasiliev.”

“That’s music to my ears, baby.” His eyes travel down to my body to my swollen foot. “Fuck. You're hurt. We need to find a doctor.”

I shake my head fiercely. “We can see a doctor when we get back home. I need to see my sister after everything she’s been through today.” My eyes go wide. “Kira, is she okay?”

“Kira and Maxim are fine. Everyone is fine, just worried about you and Sofiya.” He kisses my forehead and sucks in a harsh breath. “Did he viola?—”

“He tried and got close,” I explain, aware of how much it costs him to ask. “But I shoved a nail file into his neck. It didn't cause the same damage as your knife, but it allowed me to break free. Still, if you hadn’t come when you did…” I don’t even want to consider the alternative.

“But I did come, and that’s all that matters. Now, we have forever.”

Warmth fills my stomach, and my eyes flutter shut as exhaustion weighs heavily on me. All I can do is nestle into his chest as he begins the slow walk down the hill. I keep my eyes closed and say nothing, just bask in the fact that Roman’s holding me tighter than I’ve ever been held before.

Nothing else has ever felt this right.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

ROMAN

Liza and Sofiya fall asleep, curled up, as soon as the plane leaves the ground. Liza's injured foot is carefully propped up.

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